Chenson Griffin, who led the Hillcrest-Evergreen boys to three straight final fours, has been hired as the new head basketball coach at Class 7A Alma Bryant.

Griffin replaces Todd Taylor, who spent just one year with the Hurricanes.

“In talking to people and doing background on our candidates, we continued to hear about coach Griffin’s teams not just competing hard but competing with class and that’s what we ask of our kids,” Alma Bryant athletic director Kevin Williams said.

“Wins and losses are only a piece of the puzzle. Teaching young people about life lessons and everything away from the court is just as, if not more, important and that’s what coach Griffin brings to the table for our kids. We are excited about coach Griffin joining our staff.”

Griffin led the Jaguars to a 26-3 record this past season. They lost to eventual Class 4A state champion Talladega in the state semifinals in Birmingham. Hillcrest made the Class 3A final four in the two previous years under Griffin, including a runner-up finish to Plainview in 2018. The Jaguars also lost to Plainview in the semifinals in 2017.

Griffin met with his new team for the first time Thursday morning. Alma Bryant won the Class 7A, Area 1 title in 2018 under former coach Mark Barnhizer but struggled mightily this past season after Barnhizer and sons Braxton and Brooks went back to Indiana. The Hurricanes won just three games under Taylor.

Griffin said the move was family related. He has been commuting from Mobile to Evergreen since he and his family -- his wife Kem and 5-year-old daughter Zoey -- live in the Port City.

“It’s really all about family,” Griffin told AL.com. “I’ve been looking to find a way back to Mobile County and Mr. (Doug) Estle (Alma Bryant principal) and coach Williams seemed to have the most confidence in me. I know it’s going to be a challenge, but I’m ready for it and excited for it. Alma Bryant reminds me of a huge Fruitdale. We had some great years there, and the same thing can happen here.”

Griffin spent his first six years as head coach at Fruitdale. leading that team to a pair of South Regional appearances and 20-win seasons in his final two years there. He returned to Hillcrest-Evergreen in 2016, calling his alma mater his dream job. He led the Jaguars to seasons of 24 wins, 25 wins and 26 wins -- all of which ended in Birmingham.

“We just kind of took what we were able to do at Fruitdale and took that to Evergreen,” Griffin said. “We had some more athletes there, and we were able to do some crazy things. We took it to the verge of a championship but lost to Plainview at the buzzer. It was such a great ride.”

Griffin will finish his teaching assignment at Evergreen and then start at Alma Bryant as soon as possible. He said the Hurricanes would have tryouts at the end of the school year and then go straight into summer basketball.

“We are going to find out what we are good at and how we can compete at the 7A level and focus on that,” Griffin said. “What we want people to say -- win or lose -- is, ‘Man, that team played as hard as they could for the entire game.' If that happens, the rest will take care of itself.”